Attachment for sewing machines



June 1, 1965 J. CHUDNER 3,186,365

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 12. 1962 INVEN TOR.

HTTOKNE Y United States Patent M 3,186,365 ATTACHMENT FGR SEWING MACHINES Joseph Qhudner, 2907 Brighton Beach 8th St.,

Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Sept. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 223,075 4 Claims. (Cl. 112-153) This invention relates to sewing machines and, more particularly, to an attachment for guiding the fabric being sewn.

Heretofore, difficulty has been encountered in sewing fabric on a machine along a straight line. As a result, when sewing a hem, for example, the width of the hem might be varied at different places due to the fact that the operator depended only upon manual manipulation for determining such width.

Attempts heretofore made to provide means for facilitating straight line sewing were not positive in nature and depended entirely upon the skill of the operator in guiding the fabric. For example, markings have been provided across the slotted throat plate beneath and adjacent that portion thereof which accommodates the needle carrying the thread. These attempts did not satisfactorily solve the problem involved and difficulties were constantly encountered in attempting to sew a hem or the like of equidistant width throughout the fabric being sewn.

It is the object, therefore, of the present invention to provide means which are positive in nature and which will enable the sewing machine operator to easily and simply sew hems or the like of identical width throughout the fabric or garment being sewn.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means by which the width of the hems or the like may be varied by a simple adjustment at the option of the operator.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a guide which will prevent independent, lateral movement of the fabric in a positive manner and which may be utilized for a variety of purposes.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a detachable attachment which may be locked into the throat plate of the type currently manufactured for sewing machines which may easily and simply be adjusted to various positions and locked into said adjusted positions.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a guide attachment which is adapted to be utilized for either straight line sewing or, where desired, for sewing around a curved edge.

Other objects and advantages will appear in greater detail in the accompanying specification when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, broken away, of the presser foot portion of a sewing machine and showing the throat plate and guide means of the present invention with a portion of fabric, broken away, to expose the guide means shown in position passing beneath the needle.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the guide means of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the guide means of the present invention when viewed from the right of the bottom view shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view of the underside of the throat plate constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective, elevational view of the guide means of the present invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is shown in the form of an attachment adapted to be used with sewing machines of well known types and constructions. Therefore, only the essential ele- 3,186,365 Patented June 1, 1965 ments of the sewing machine parts necessary to describe the invention are illustrated in fragmentary fashion, in FIG. 1. The showing is made merely to orient those familiar with the art with the location, disposition and illustrative construction of the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sewing machine includes a work support or table 10 on which the fabric 11, which is the subject of the sewing operation, rests. The work support or table 10 is provided with a recessed portion to receive a throat plate 12 which is provided with a slotted portion 13 and a needle accommodating aperture 14. A presser foot 15 carried by a presser bar in the usual manner (not shown) is disposed over the slotted portion and, in sewing, the needle extends through the presser bar and into the fabric 11.

It has been extremely diflicult heretofore to sew a hem or the like of equal width throughout the length of the fabric. Many attempts have been made to assist the sewing machine operator to accurately sew in a straight line. For example, marking indicia have been provided on the throat plate to measure particular widths. However, there was no completely satisfactory solution to the problem in that there were no positive means for assisting the operator.

According to the present invention, however, means are provided which act as a positive guide for the edge of the hem portion or for the edge of the fabric being stitched and which prevent lateral deviation in the movement of the fabric as it passes under the needle.

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the throat plate 12 is provided with radially extending slots 16 and 17. The slots are preferably slanted and the bottom of the slots are respectively provided with serrations 18 and 19 for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

In accordance with the invention, the attachment comprises a housing 20 preferably formed of metal or similar rigid material. The housing comprises a top portion 21, side walls 22 and 23, a front wall 24 and a rear wall 25. The interior of the housing 26 is hollow. The side wall 22 is provided with an aperture 27 which accommodates a pin 28. The pin is provided with an enlarged portion 29 disposed within the housing 26. The base of the side wall 22 has a bent out flange portion 30 whose upper surface is provided with serrations 30a. The flange 30 is adapted to be accommodated within the slot 16 of the throat plate 12. The side wall 23 is provided with a slotted portion 31 and an aperture 32. A plunger 33 is located within the housing 20. One end of the plunger 33 is provided with a bore 34 adapted to slidably engage the enlarged portion 29 carried by the pin 28. As illustrated, one end of the enlarged portion 2 abuts the interior of the side wall 22. Adjacent the enlarged portion 29 a coil spring 35 is disposed within the bore 34 and normally urges the plunger so that the operating portion 36 is located through the slot 31 and outwardly of the wall 23. It will be understood that pressing the operating portion 36 will cause the plunger 33 to move and engage the interior surface of the wall 22. During such movement, the plunger travels over the enlarged portion or post 29.

The plunger is provided with an offset extension 37 which is preferably provided with a serrated portion 37a. The offset extension 37 is adapted to be accommodated within the slot 17 of the throat plate.

To insert the attachment 2% in desired position, the initial step is to depress the operating portion 36. This action causes the offset extension 37 to be moved inwardly. The extensions 30 and 37 may be aligned with the slots 16 and 17 on the plate and when the operating portion 36 is released the depending extensions 3i; and

3 37 will move under the influence of spring 35 into the slots 16 and '17, respectively. A positive lock against lateral movement is provided by the engagement of the serrations 39a and 37a with the serrated portions 18 and 19, respectively.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the edge of the hem 33 of fabric being sewn is disposed against and abuts the edge of the front plate24 which acts as a guide for the fabric. This .engagementenables the operator of the machine to obtain a positive limit preventing any further variation in the size or width of the hem. The stitching 39 will thereupon be in a straight line at all times.

It will be understood that with the use of the present invention, various'sizes or widths may be accommodated for it is merely necessary to depress the finger36 whereupon the entire attachment may be moved to any position desired in the grooved rails 16 and 17. The attachment may be locked in the appropriate position by the mere release of the finger 36 in the manner hereinbetore described.

If desired, the present invention also provides means which can be utilized to act as the abutting guide for material being sewn in an arcuate or other form. The rear wall 25 will act as the guide for this purpose. To accomplish this result, it is merely necessary to reverse the position of the attachment 20 from the one illustrated in'FIG. 1 to the position in which the rear plate 25 isadjacent to the slotted-area 13 of the throat plate 1.2. The adjustment, moving and locking of the attachment take place in the fashion and manner hereinbefore described.

It'wiil be understood that I have'provided a simple and yet unique means for positively controlling, with accuracy, the Width of any hem or the distance of any stitching from the edge of the fabric. The simple means utilized insure a completely straight line of stitching and prevent inadvertent deviation by the operator. While the relatively inexpensive and completely dependable means for obtaining this desired result are illustrated in the described embodiment, it will be understood that the aforesaid description and illustration are merely'exemplary of the present invention and that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A seam guide for a sewing machine comprising in combination a needle throat plate disposed beneath the needle mechanism of the machine coplanar with the Work supporting surface, said plate having a pair of spaced parallel slots extending transversely of the direction of feed of the work through said needle mechanism, and a seam guide attachment carriedby and positionally adjustable on said plate toward and away from said needle mechanism, said attachment having a pair of oppositely projecting quick-detachable self-locking detents respectively engageable in said slots to secure the attachment on said throat plate in adjusted position relatively to said needle mechanism, and means on said attachment at least at one end thereof constituting a work guiding face presenting toward said needle mechanism and projecting upwardly from said work supporting surface.

2. In a-seam guide as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said pair of locking detents is spring-pressed away from the other to thereby bias them apart for respective interlocking engagement With said slots in the throat plate and wherein said detents and slots are complementaily serrated for effectively locking the attachment to said plate at any selected point lengthwise of the slots on said throat plate.

3. Ina seam guide as defined in claim 1 wherein the attachment is provided at opposite ends thereof with dif- 25 ferently shaped work guiding faces for selective presentation toward the needle mechanism, the attachment being end for endreversibly mountable on said throat plate to present in desired position the selected work guiding face.

4. A seam guide as defined in claim 3 wherein said attachment, upon'release of the plate-engaging bias of its said locking detents, is liftahle free of the throat plate for cnd-to-end reversal and re-engagement of the attachment in adjusted position lengthwise of the slots in said throat plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,683 4/88 James 112153 744,559 11/03 Kendrick.

859,952 7/07 Laubscher 112-446 1,323,355 12/19 De-Voe 112-260 3,011,461 12/61 Johnson 112-153 3,089,373 5/63 "Fischer et a1. 143169 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary'Examiner.

Examiners. 

1. A SEAM GUIDE FOR A SEWING MACHINE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A NEEDLE THROAT PLATE DISPOSED BENEATH THE NEEDLE MECHANISM OF THE MACHINE COPLANAR WITH THE WORK SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL SLOTS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE DIRECTION OF FEED OF THE WORK THROUGH SAID NEEDLE MECHANISM, AND A SEAM GUIDE ATTACHMENT CARRIED BY AND POSITIONALLY ADJUSTABLE ON SAID PLATE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID NEEDLE MECHANISM, SAID ATTACHMENT HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY PROJECTING QUICK-DETACHABLE SELF-LOCKING DETENTS RESPECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE IN SAID SLOTS TO SECURE THE ATTACHMENT ON SAID THROAT PLATE IN ADJUSTED POSITION RELATIVELY TO SAID NEEDLE MECHANISM, AND MEANS ON SAID ATTACHMENT AT LEAST 